21.08.2002 - Thanks to the information revolution, the monopoly on knowledge has been dismantled. Science is proliferating at an unprecedented rate. The capabilities of computers have increased ten billion-fold over the past fifty years, doubling every year and a half.
Genetic engineering has made it possible to manipulate the genes of viruses and create new pathogens that evade treatment, as seen with the creation of the AIDS virus.
This advancement presents a double-edged sword. While it empowers humanity to develop new strategies to combat germs and viruses, it also harbors the potential for misuse. This necessitates a serious and thoughtful pause for reflection.
Germ and biological weapons are among the most horrendous, dastardly, and destructive types of armaments. Their deployment by a state would spell catastrophe, and the consequences of such weapons falling into the hands of irresponsible individuals would be unthinkable. These weapons are particularly lethal due to their invisibility, inaudibility, and odorlessness.
They can be delivered through virtually any medium on Earth—animals, insects, plants, people, air, liquids, and all tools and items that people encounter in their daily lives.
Given the extreme gravity of this issue, it must be approached in a dispassionate and objective manner, free from political agendas and ulterior motives. The world must collectively agree to entrust this responsibility to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO must be empowered to supervise and inspect all facilities involved in this critical industry. Only through such oversight can the public be assured that scientific knowledge is not being exploited against their interests or safety by irresponsible parties. It is essential to ensure that this vital industry remains focused on its worthy objectives, with no exceptions to the inspection and supervision regime. Any form of exception, discrimination, or selectivity will lead to outrage and fury.
